In occasion of the reunion
of electors from July 3rd to November 12th 1630, the
elector Maximilian Ist of Bavaria ordered new splendid
riding-things:
saddle cloths, saddle and harness, blinders, stirrups,
pistol holsters, straps, etc.

The textiles are from red
velvet and with gold embroidery. Only electors were
allowed to use velvet, silk, silver and gold for their
own horses, and these items were kept together with
tapestries and other precious textiles. Today they are
preserved in the castel of Nymphenburg near Munich.
Most of the embroidery was executed in Milano
(Italy). The design had been made by the court painter Wilhelm
Schoepfer (he died in 1634) from Munich.
The merchant Andreas Fasser (died 7
January 1641) dealt with fabrics, with gold and silver
yarns. He had good connections to Milano and also close
relations to the silk embroiderer's craft. He must have
arranged the execution of this masterpiece of art.

"Kredenzdecke", photo from
1876

Milano, e
centre of embroidery was one of the richest European
Capitals, and its economic wealth was a consequence of
its arts and crafts.
The contemporary writer Paolo Morigia said in 1592 in his
" Historia dell'Antichita di Milano" that there
were more embroiderers in Milano than in any other
italian towns. And these embroiderers worked a lot in
gold and silver.
The famous flag of Milano, finished in 1566 was worked by
Scipio Delfinone and we know that he
also made riding things. It seems that they were a
speciality of Milano. Towards the end of 16th c. Caterina Cantoni
was a very famous embroideress here. She was reputed as
the inventress of "punto Cantona", an
embroidery stitch who had an equal look on both sides of
the fabric.Pompeo Berlusconi (see Binaghi, 1994/5,
p.106-109) was renowned for his friezes and ornamented
parts. One of his altarfrontals looked very similar to
the clothes of Munich.

"Waltrappe (saddle cloth)",
castle of Nymphenburg near Munich

detail of "Waltrappe"

Since the
1620s there were political struggles between France and
Spain and a general decline in Northern Italy, in 1630
there were years of the Plague. Due to the Tirty Year's
War foreign customers did not come any longer to Milano.
The georgeous embroideries for Bavaria were made shortly
before the Plague in Milano and also before the years of
pestilence in Munich in 1634.